Disclaimer: I tragically do not own Dragon Age.
Lost and Found
Chapter 7
It really was a beautiful day; beautiful to look at anyway. The sun shone brightly, though the ever present chill wrapped itself still around it's residents. Ellana didn't mind the cold so much having lived outdoors for the majority of her life. She knew Josephine struggled though, more used to the humid climates of Antiva. Luckily, Ellana was more than happy to act as Josephine's personal heater on particularly frosty evenings.
"Look, it wasn't my fault," Ellana protested, after a particularly mocking glance from Leliana. "The map...purposely sent me in the wrong direction."
"Yes, maps can be devious in that way. I'm not surprised you were outwitted," replied Leliana, her lip quirking upwards.
Today, the spymaster seemed less on edge than usual. Though still noticeably careworn, her eyes did not dart around quite so furtively like she was expecting an attack at any given moment. It perhaps had something to do with the young girl leaning against her side, picking at a flaky pastry with rapt interest. This whole little...event was Cassandra's idea, or so Leliana told them. Somehow Ellana doubted the legitimacy of this claim, but if Leliana wanted to pretend that she wasn't responsible for their afternoon picnic in the grounds of Skyhold then far be it from her to question it.
It had been a good idea anyway, and not just because Ellana could use it as an excuse to drag Josephine away from her somewhat gloomy office for an hour. Her lover had seemed somewhat startled by the abundance of natural light and if that wasn't a clear sign that she needed to be outdoors for a while then Ellana didn't know what was. The perplexed looks they were receiving from passers-by were unfortunate, but Ellana supposed she didn't blame them. The Inquisitor, a baby version of Cassandra Pentaghast, the rarely-seen-outside-of-the-rookery spymaster and the prim and proper Lady Montilyet were all sat on a blanket on the cold, hard ground eating finger food. Not an everyday occurrence.
"Val Royeaux is a menace. Every time I go there all I see is blackmail, unholy sexual deviances and sequined assassins. Then there was that duel," Ellana said. "If I never go there again it will be too soon."
Josephine looked up sharply from the sandwich she was nibbling on. "I hardly think Val Royeaux can be held responsible for your decision to hold a public duel."
Ellana opened her mouth to argue but Leliana beat her to it. "Choose your battles wisely, Inquisitor," she said mildly.
Conceding that Leliana might have a point, Ellana inclined her head and offered Josephine what she hoped to be a charming smile. "Perhaps not," she said. "I stand by my original point though; I am not to blame for getting lost in the streets of Val Royeaux. Sera was with me the whole time and I'm sure she could have gotten us out of there whenever she wanted to."
With a sigh, Josephine glanced in the direction of the tavern. "I am sure Sera found it amusing to watch your struggles."
"Besides, cities aren't really my area. All your buildings look the same to me," said Ellana.
"You can't tell the difference between the landmarks of Val Royeaux?" Leliana frowned at the idea.
"So I'm not allowed to struggle with your human architecture, but it's all right for Bull and Sera to complain endlessly at me for six and a half solid weeks about all the trees in the Emerald Graves being identical like I am somehow responsible for it?" Ellana said. "Do you even know how many times Sera pointed at the ground and asked me if that was my favourite blade of grass and then ran away cackling? I don't, because I lost count after the second week when she stripped down to nearly nothing at our campsite and danced around a peach tree to 'make me feel more at home with some of that Dalish shit'."
Josephine looked aghast but Leliana turned to her seriously and asked, "And did it?"
For a moment, Ellana didn't quite know how to respond, then Josephine began to laugh and Leliana smirked.
"Oh, my darling. Your face!" Josephine chuckled, her hand hovering over her mouth.
"Very funny," said Ellana with an eye roll, but she couldn't help but smile herself. "I'm the Inquisitor, you know. Making fun of me is bad for morale."
"Not true, Boss," Iron Bull shouted from across the courtyard. Ellana blinked, not entirely sure how he'd heard them from so far away. "Krem is going to get a real kick out of this later!"
While Ellana grumbled unhappily, Cassandra had jumped to her feet and had taken off at a run in Bull's direction. His booming laugh could be heard all over Skyhold as he bent down to catch her in his arms. Leliana tensed but did nothing as the man swung her around, making her giggle with delight.
"She looks so tiny next to him," Ellana commented, before turning back to her companions and taking a sip of fruity white wine.
"I believe she is generally rather small for her age," Josephine said.
"Is she? She looks about the right size by elven standards...oh I see what you mean." She popped a grape in her mouth and chewed it thoughtfully. "Growth spurt when she was a teen then?"
"Yes," Leliana agreed. Her eyes flicked to Ellana but she could tell that her attention was still fully focussed on Cassandra, who was now being paraded around on Bull's shoulders. "I dragged a story out of her on one of our longer missions in the service of Divine Justinia about one of her Uncle's attempts to match her to a suitor. It was on her sixteenth birthday and over the summer she had grown almost a foot taller. Unused to her newly developed limbs she overreached and accidentally knocked a whole glass of red wine over her potential future husband's embroidered royal sea silk tunic and then in an effort to help him she punched him in the mouth with a handkerchief."
Ellana laughed. "I had a similar experience when I was around that age too, right after I tripped on a tree branch and he told me I was too clumsy to be a real elf. I think he was even more unhappy about the match than I was." She saw Josephine frown at that. "Accidentally tripped right into his face with my fist after that."
"Though not my preferred method of revenge, tried and true nonetheless," Leliana mused. She shifted on the blanket so her legs were crossed and then took a bite of the pastry that Cassandra had left behind.
"There are few secrets among the Dalish," said Ellana. "I'm not sure how effective your methods would be among clans."
"I would not bet against her," said Josephine, her voice a mite too casual for the comment to have been an idle thought. Leliana bowed her head with a mischievous smile on her face.
"Do I even want to know?" Ellana asked.
"Probably not," said Leliana.
"Definitely not," Josephine corrected.
Ellana looked between them, eyes narrowed. No, she decided, ignorance is bliss. "Fine. Keep your secrets."
"I always do, Inquisitor," Leliana replied cheerfully.
The smile on Leliana's face faded when Cassandra let out a particularly gleeful squeal. Ellana turned around to see Bull throwing her up in the air and then catching her at the last second. It looked like the kid was having fun but Ellana didn't miss the way Leliana flinched with every throw. She supposed she shouldn't be too surprised that Nightingale was protective of the people she cared for. Not after she'd basically assaulted Ellana that time for paying Josephine too many compliments. Okay, maybe assaulted was a bit of an overreaction. Made sternly worded threats in her direction would be closer.
"He won't drop her," Ellana said. "Probably." Josephine shot her an exasperated look but Leliana gave no indication she'd heard. "He won't crush her either." Leliana looked alarmed then, like that thought hadn't even occurred to her. "Ah...I mean-"
"We haven't spoken in a number of days, Leliana," Josephine said loudly. Ellana sighed with relief. "How have things fared with young Cassandra?"
"She hasn't run off again so that has been a marked improvement," she said with a wry smile. "Whenever she begins to feel homesick, Cole appears with some kind of gift. Usually one of these." She pointed to what was left of the blueberry pastry.
"I suspect he may have been responsible for the furore in the kitchens not three days ago," said Josephine thoughtfully. "I believe Cassandra is not the only resident of Skyhold being provided with stolen gifts."
"He certainly keeps things interesting," Leliana said.
"I can ask him to stop if you want," Ellana said dubiously. She'd rather not though. Cole's heart was in the right place even if his methods were...not always ideal. Plus she'd become very fond of the spirit over the last few months. She'd even go as far as to say they were friends, though she wasn't sure Cole really understood what that meant.
"Leave the boy be," said Leliana, before Josephine could respond. Then she smirked, "And I'm not just saying that because I am sometimes the recipient of those stolen gifts."
"Oh?" Josephine prompted.
"I doubt the honey puts itself in my wine." Ellana had a vague recollection of Cole mentioning something like that before. Varric had been forced to discourage him from plying Leliana's alcohol with live bees rather than the honey itself. They were still in something of a learning curve.
"I suppose he means well," Josephine said after a moment.
"Cole just wants to help. He-" She stopped talking abruptly. Something was tickling her ear. "Please tell me that isn't a spider."
Josephine and Leliana were both visibly fighting off amusement. "It's not a spider, my darling."
No, it was definitely not a spider. She could feel it now. It was a very tiny finger...poking the point at the top of her left ear. "Cassandra Pentaghast!" She turned her head in time to see that toothy grin spread across Cassandra's face. She giggled and jumped back when Ellana made a grab for her. "Come here, you little brat!"
Cassandra dodged another swipe of her hand and then spun around to run to Leliana. The spymaster remained perfectly still as Cassandra grabbed the back of her hood and used it to cover her own face, still laughing madly.
Ellana grabbed one of the wooden swords they'd brought with them and rose to her feet, crossing the picnic blanket in just two steps. She pointed the 'blade' at Leliana's face. "Surrender the girl!"
"No!" Cassandra cried. Then she said something loudly in Nevarran, which Leliana responded to in kind. She then released Leliana's hood to run back the way she had come to pick up the other sword. "En garde!" Leliana had taught her that one, Ellana was sure.
"My hero," said Leliana with amusement, as Cassandra lunged forward, swinging her sword wildly.
They sparred for a while, if that was the right word. Cassandra threw herself around like a woman possessed and Ellana parried her jabs to prevent any serious bruising. The kid seemed to be having fun though so Ellana decided to play along for a while.
Leliana was correcting Cassandra's stance when Dorian strolled over with a smug look on his handsome face. Ellana wasn't sure if that boded ill or well for them.
"Leliana," Cassandra whined, when the spymaster drifted off mid-sentence.
"One moment, little one," Leliana replied, straightening her back and holding up one finger.
"Good afternoon, ladies," Dorian said. Ellana raised a hand in greeting and Josephine smiled politely.
"To what do we owe this pleasure, Dorian?" Leliana asked.
Dorian clapped his hands together and then gestured to Cassandra with a flourish. "I do believe we finally have a solution to all our magical woes." Leliana's face became carefully blank.
"You've figured out a way to reverse the magic?" Ellana said.
"That we have, Inquisitor," Dorian replied. "I would explain it to you, but let's avoid having that glazed look you get in your eyes whenever Solas talks directed at me if we can."
"That seems fair," said Ellana, with a guilty smile. She hadn't realised she was so obvious. Speaking of obvious, Ellana noticed that Josephine's eyes were now firmly trained on Leliana with barely concealed concern. Hmm.
"Solas and I will be ready whenever you are," said Dorian.
"Okay, well let's-"
"Let's do it now," Leliana said quickly.
"Really? But we haven't finished our picnic!" Ellana said.
"You and Josephine may finish the picnic and I will take care of Cassandra," said Leliana. Her tone booked no argument. Any good humour she'd acquired throughout the day seemed to have vanished in an instant.
"Actually," said Josephine apologetically, "It is time I return to work. We have already been out here longer than I anticipated."
Feeling like she'd somehow just deflated, Ellana sighed with disappointment. It had been a while since she'd done anything that didn't directly relate to her very important Inquisition duties. This had been a nice way to wind down after her triumphant return from closing a rift at the foot of the Frostback Mountains yesterday. "All right then."
Then, much to Cassandra's disappointment, they packed away their picnic and gave the leftovers to Bull who had been lurking nearby like he was waiting for this exact result.
Before the four left, Josephine pulled Cassandra into a tight hug and said something in halting Nevarran. The girl smiled and placed a sloppy kiss on Josephine's cheek with a wicked chuckle. Josephine rolled her eyes playfully and then ushered her back in Leliana's direction.
"I'm going to miss her," said Josephine wistfully. "It will, however, be nice to have our Cassandra back." Neither Ellana or Leliana responded, for entirely different reasons.
They parted ways and Cassandra took her usual spot by Leliana's side, swinging from her hand. Ellana had noticed that whenever they moved around Skyhold the kid made an extra effort to cement herself to the spymaster's person. She didn't particularly enjoy the attention she got from others when Leliana wasn't around to discourage any attempts at conversation. People tended to gawk at the miniature Seeker.
Her gaze drifted to Leliana then as they followed Dorian towards the mage's tower. Though her head was tilted forward so her hood cast her face in shadows there was something in the air around her that gave the impression of a woman trudging towards impending doom. It was possible she didn't trust Dorian and Solas' magic not to cause some kind of irreparable damage to Cassandra's psyche in some way. Or she was terrified of Cassandra's reaction to how she'd spent the last month if in fact the spell did work. Ellana wasn't sure how likely that one was. She wasn't under the impression that Leliana was afraid of many things.
As they walked, Dorian attempted to engage Leliana in conversation, but was met with a stony silence. It was somewhat reminiscent of the incident of Redcliff Castle, but obviously under much less dire circumstances. Ellana shuddered. Bad comparison to make. She'd spent the last several months doing her utmost to repress everything that had happened on that day. Sometimes in her dreams she could still see her friends with red lyrium shimmering around their skin. Could still hear Leliana's laboured breathing as she dragged her abused body behind them before killing Felix right before their eyes. Grand Enchanter Fiona... Ellana blinked. No. Don't go down that road today.
"And here we are!" said Dorian, waving a hand to a rather weak looking wooden door. Ellana almost sighed with relief at the distraction presented to her.
Ellana pushed the door open and stepped into the room. It...was not what she had been expecting. The space was large and open but for the twelve tall, claw foot mirrors arranged into a circle in the middle. Ellana had only ever seen their like before in Orlais. She wondered how much money this had set back the Inquisition because she very much doubted they'd come as standard in the rooms in the barracks.
It was also very dark, with the windows boarded up and just scattered candles to provide light. She blinked to allow her eyes to adjust, only just noticing an empty bottle of what she assumed was lyrium on the floor before she stepped on it.
"Ah, Inquisitor," said Solas. He was leaning over a desk full of strewn papers and books but stood to attention when he heard the door open. "I wasn't expecting you so early."
"Yes well..." Her eyes drifted over to Leliana. "We thought it would be best to get this whole thing out the way." Solas' face twitched at her dismissive phrasing.
"Of course, Inquisitor," he said.
Leliana came to stand beside her, an uneasy looking Cassandra now in her arms. "The reports my agents acquired were useful, I trust?" she said, looking critically down at the mess on Solas' desk.
"Couldn't have done this without them," Dorian said quickly. He ran a finger over his moustache and grinned. "As I told the Inquisitor, I'd be more than happy to explain our methods but-"
"That won't be necessary," said Leliana, with a roll of her eyes.
"I suspected as much," said Dorian.
That was when Cassandra chose to make herself known. She pulled her face from Leliana's neck and said something loudly in Nevarran. While Leliana replied, Ellana turned her attention to Solas.
"So how do we do this then? And is there a reason for all these mirrors or does Dorian just really like to look at himself while he works?" she said.
"A little of column a and a little of column b," Dorian said seriously. Then he winked at her.
"The mirrors were originally to reflect back any magical residue that escaped from our experiments," said Solas.
"Fiona's insistence," Dorian added.
Solas inclined his head in agreement. "As it turned out, the mirrors amplified the particular brand of magic responsible for this" - he gestured to Cassandra - "transformation."
"So that means..."
"It means only Solas and I will be needed rather than the entirety of Thedas' mages," said Dorian.
Ellana squinted her eyes. "Was that really a possibility?"
Before Dorian could answer, Solas said, "No, it was not, Inquisitor. As always, Ser Pavus likes to exaggerate. Now in regards to your earlier question, all Cassandra will need to do is stand in the centre of the circle and Dorian and I will do the rest."
"This plan will definitely succeed?" Leliana re-entered the conversation, her voice strangely distant.
"Well there is marginal room for error as there is with anything of this nature," Solas said. "I am confident this will be safe for Cassandra."
The frown on Leliana's face and the way she splayed a protective hand over Cassandra's back told Ellana she wasn't too impressed with Solas' supposed confidence. "Very well."
"If you will allow me a final moment to consult my notes, we can begin," said Solas.
Her face completely impassive, Leliana carried Cassandra to the far end of the room and began to change her clothes into the ones they'd detoured to retrieve on their journey over. Cassandra protested when the much-too-large shirt was pulled over her head but it was half-hearted; whatever reason Leliana had given for this change of outfit was enough.
It suddenly occurred to Ellana that this would be the last time she'd get to speak to Cassandra like this. Yes, she missed her friend a great deal and she'd honestly feel safer once she was back with them, but Cassandra was just so...unencumbered like this. Happier. It made her feel a little selfish for pushing the mages so hard for a reversal spell. Then there was Leliana. Had she become a little too accustomed to Cassandra's presence? Ellana stared at the back of the woman's head and tried to decipher how she must be feeling. No answer was forthcoming.
"I'm ready when you are, Inquisitor," said Solas very quietly beside her. He too was looking over to the pair in the corner with a strange expression on his face.
Ellana nodded. "Leliana?" she said.
Leliana stood up and guided Cassandra to the centre of the circle of mirrors. When she untangled their fingers and tried to leave Cassandra attempted to follow her, almost tripping over the bottom of her pants. Leliana held out a hand and forced a smile. She said something in a low voice while Cassandra blinked back tears. Obviously the girl had no idea what was going on, but she knew something was happening and it frightened her. An unexpected twinge in Ellana's heart caused her to look away from the scene.
When she had finished speaking, Leliana held out her arms to give little Cassandra one final hug. She brushed away a rogue tear on Cassandra's face with the pad of her thumb and then stood up again to exit the circle. Leliana's face had become completely expressionless once more.
"Well then," said Dorian, clapping his hands together so loudly that Ellana startled. Sometimes her enhanced hearing wasn't always a boon. "Let's get started, shall we?"
Ellana watched with rapt attention as the two mages began their spell. Green light filled the room, ebbing and flowing like the tide, but as Solas had told them beforehand the magic was contained within the mirrors. Poor Cassandra looked terrified, but held her ground. Ellana didn't think she'd ever been so proud of another person.
When the magic began to take effect, Cassandra screamed an earth shattering sound and then slumped to the ground, unconscious. Ellana could only see Leliana's stricken expression for a few more seconds before the green light became brighter and brighter until she could see no further than an inch in front of her face. It took every ounce of restraint not to throw herself into the circle and drag Cassandra out of there, assuming Leliana didn't beat her to it. She prayed to the Creators that Solas and Dorian knew what they were doing. Maybe this had been a mistake...
After what felt like an age, but was in reality just two short minutes, the light began to fade. Heart in her throat, Ellana held her breath.
She needn't have worried so, for when her eyes adjusted she could see a fully grown Cassandra Pentaghast lay sprawled on the ground before them. The woman let out a low groan and clenched her hands into fists.
A smile took over Ellana's face, but when she raised her head to share her elation with Leliana, the spymaster was gone.
Author's Note(s): Hi, guys. Sorry about the delay on this chapter but I had a super important Pokemon tournament over the weekend that I needed to prepare for and it seriously cut into my writing time.
In other news, I just made a new Tumblr account (changed-approved) that I'm mostly using to fawn over Dragon Age with right now so if anyone wants to come visit me if you have any questions about my fic or just to gush over how great the DA games are then please do!
As always, thank you so much for reading.
